Automatic stoker for locomotives.



P. M. THAYER. AUTOMATIC STOKBB PGB LOCOMOTIVBnS.

APPLICATION FILED MAILS, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l,

Patentad Sept. 8,

u uu ..|..J j un n f|||||||||| Il. I l ,-llll` N0 E5, f 4 n z u T WMU 3 U VIIL ,I w n l 7 9 .L n 9 d J P. M. THAYBR. AUTOMATIC STOKER FOB LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLICATION FILpD HALS. 1913.

1,109,802. Patented sept. s, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

FHI/L A4. 771/1r5/1'. w ZCSSGSI f /NVf/vro/r. a g 0&6! l y 07e PAUL M. THAYER, 0F PLYMOUTH, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC STOKER FOR LOCOMOTIVE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

Application filed March 6, 1913. Serial No. 752,313.

To all Awher/z. it may concern.'

Be it known that I, PAUL M. THArEn, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Plymouth, in the county of Marshall and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic -Stokers for irccmctives, of which the following is u specification.

This inveutirn relates to automatic stokcrs, and is particularly adaptedfor use on' locomotive engines.

One'of thefobjects of the present invention is to provide a stoking means for furnaces, which a positive andv even feed of the fuel to the fire-box is obtained.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic stoker which has means whereby the feed of the fuel may be regulated. l

A still further object ofthe invention is to provide an automatic s eher having ieans for imparting a step by step progressive feed of the fuelwith means 'for directv ing the fuel upwardly into the fire boi.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention consists inthe combination -and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly Y pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, l'urportions, size and minor details without departing from the scope or sacrificing any ci' the objects of the invention.

Upon referring to the drawings,

Figure l represents by dotted lines a side elcration of part of a. locomotive, with the fire-box and the striking devices in longitudinal section taken on a line :1f-w of Fig. il. Fig. is a horizontal section of the lire-boil' taken on a line 1j-y of Fig. l. Fig.

3, is a longitudinal section of one of the stoking devices taken on thel line 5%3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a longitudinal section taken onda lin(` 4WA- of Fig. 2. Fig. 5, is a transxcrse szw-tional view of one of the coal chutes teilten .un u line 5-5 of' Fig. 5. Fig,y (l, is :i similar view taken on `the line -13 cl Fig. 3. Fig. 7,` is a similar `view taken ou the line 7---7 of Fig. 3. Fig.`8, if; a horizontal fragmentary section taken on the line +5V-8 ci' Fig. ii. Fig. 9 is a 'fragmentary detail view showing the positions of `the reciprocating feed member at its-extreme fore and aft stroke. Fig. 10,

is a side elevation of the operating lever for controlling one of the ydefiector elements; and Fig. 11, is a similar ViewI in end elevation.

In the drawings, the grate of the fire space boxll comprises a plurality of spaced coal chutes 2 which diminish iniheight from their 'rear ends to their forward ends and which are substantially Vshaped in cross-section. Any number 0f coalI chutes may be employed, depending upon the size of the lire box, but I prefer to use three chutes, as shown in the drawings. The upper ends of the walls of the coal chutes 2 may be 'enlarged to pro- .vide beams 3 suitably supported at their ends and provided with spaced sockets 4 in which thevtrunnions 5EL of the grate castings 5 are seated, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The spaces between the chutes 2 are spanned by the grate castings 5, whose trunnions, as above described, are seated in the sockets in the beam portions 3 of the chutes. It will be noted that by Virtue of the decrease in height of the chutes from their rear to the forwardrendsthe beams 3 and the grate castings 5 are inclined forwardly. At the forward end of each grate4 section is provided a lrelatively large dump plate 6, swingingly supported in any suitable manner as at 6, and which may be operated by any suitable means to remove clinkers and the like which work down toward the forward end of the grate by virtue of its inclination, as before described. The parts i.

immediately below each grate section are open and unobstructed so that the ashesmay be dumped in the customary manner.

Each coalchute 2 provided with a cover plate 7 which may be reticulated or pro- 1%" vided with a plurality of openings 8, as shown in the drawings. From the forward ends of the openings 8 extend downwardly and rearwardly defiector ,plates 9, so that coal being shoved orvnio'.'cd through the chute toward the forward end thereofwill be intercepted and deflected upwardly by the plates 9 through the cpenizigs in the cover plates 7 into the fire box. The interior s-urfares of the side walls-z of the chutes il Imay be provided with deiiector ribs or plates 10 having the same degree of angulai-ity as the defleetor plates 9,.the dcfiector plates or ribs ,10, cooperatingY with thev platos 9 in the upward feed of the fuel. I have shown the ribs or plates l0 formed integral with'theside; walls. of the Chut-es, but it is llO' obvious that these plates may be attachedor secured in any suitablefmanner-,to theside such as coal, so that thel same may be fed mpre rapidly to one portion of the fire box than to another, one of the chutes as shown,

or all of them if desired, may be provided with a swinging beam or arm 11 pivoted at' 12 so as to swing preferably in a horizon-i tal direction. AThe beam or arm 11 is pro-- vided'with a plurality of defiector plates 13 having the'same degree of angularity as the fixed defiector plates 9 and 10. The deflector plates l13 preferably project laterally from the side of the beam 11 adjacent the chute the lfeed of the coal in which it is desired to regulate by means of the deflector plates 13. These defiector plates 13 are adapted to enter or project through suitable slots 13l formed in one of the side walls of the chute 2, the extent to which the deflectorrplates 13 project into the chute dependingupon the degree of movement given the vits pivot 12 by any suitable means.

beam 11 on its vpivot 12. The greater the distance of projection of the plat-es 13 into the chute the greater the obstruction to the passage of the coal through the chute at that point and a proportionate greater quantity of coal deflected upwardly. The beam 11 may be thus shifted so as to cause the fuel to be fed more rapidly at the coal supply or rear end of the chute and proportionately less further on andl inversely, depending upon which end ofthe beam `11 is shifted toward the chute. As the coal is moved forwardly in the chute by any suitable means, such as those` hereinafter described, the coal is deflected at some point in its passage through the' chute and directed upwardly into the fire box by the fixed deflector plates 9 and 10 and by those defiector plates 13 that have been projected into the chute, the coal passing through the openings in the cover plates 7, which permit the distribution of the coal to extend over a large area. The coal that is not -intercepted or deflected by the plates 9, 10, etc., is fed to the forward end of the chute and is directed upwardly into the fire box by means ofthe inclined plate or wall 14 and through the opening 15, as shown in Fig. 3.

The beam 11 may be swung or shiftedoon ne manner of shifting this beam 11 I have shown in the drawings as comprising the bell crank levers 16,and 17 havin suitable connections with each other and wit one end Y of the beam, one arm ofthe bell crank lever 17 serving as the operating handle 18 and movable between two. toothed segments 19 and 20. The handle 18 may be lpcked notches therein on each side of the handle astopreyent movement of the latter in either direction. The operating handle 18 'lis preferably mounted without the fire-box,

.as shown in Fig. 2, so that ready access may ,be had, to the handle for shifting thebeam 11.

Tlr'el'ower -ends of the coal chutes 2 may v,communicate with chambers 2 infl each of which a reciprocatingcarriage 23 may be mounted. The walls of the chambers 2a may be formed of separate plates secured to the walls of the chutes 2, but I prefer to form the walls of the chambers 2i by prolonging or extending downwardly the Walls of the chutes, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The walls of the chambers 2"l are provided with grooved guides formed in any suitable manner as by the shoulders 25 and 25 in which guideway the carriage 23 re ciprocates. The carriage 23 is formed of side bars 24 and end members 2G and 27, the end members 26 and 27 having downwardly extending portions 28 which are secured t said side bars and are provided with apertures to serve as bearings for an operating or shift-rod 29 passing therethrough. Pivotally mounted between said side-bars 24 are a plurality' of push heads 30 which may be provided with downwardly extending portions 30a preferably bifurcated to straddle the shift or operating rod 29. On each side of the bifurcated members 30a are-colF 'lars 31 which collars are fixed on the shift rod so that upon a shifting of the latter forwardly or rearwardly the members 30a are moved forwardly or rearwardly as the case may be. 0n shifting the rod 29 forwardly the free forward ends of thev push. heads will be raised as shown in Figs. 3 and 9 and upon a reverse movement of' the rod the push heads will be returned to their original or lowered position, as shown in Fig. 9. e

The shift rod 29 may be provided with spaced collars 32 and 33 keyed or otherwise fixed to the rod and disposed on opposite sides of the end members 2G and 27 so that the shift rod 29 will have a limited movement relative to the carriage 23 to which the end members 26 and 27 are secured.

Upon the first movement of the shift rod 29 forwardly the free ends of the push heads will be moved upwardly at which time the collars 33 will contact with the end members and shift the entire carriage 23, upon which said push heads are mounted, in a forward direction to a distance approximately the length of the push heads 30, as shown in full and dotted lines in Fig. 9. Of course, it is obvious that the carriage may be pushed forwardly any desired distance depending u'ponthe location of the collars 32 and 33, etc. Upon the reverse movement of the shift rod 29 the ends of the push heads 30 are lowered by Virtue of the rod 29 having a movement independent of the carriage 23 before the carriage is moved rearwardly by the collars 32 engaging the end ,members of the carriage to shift 'timlgoifthe deflector plates before described the coal or other fuel is fed upwardly into the chutes through the openings in the cover plates 7 into the fire box. The coal may be introduced into the rear end of the chute by any suitable means, as by hoppers 34 into which the coal is shoveled and from ,which it feeds by gravity into the chutes directly upon the reciprocating carriage 23. The shift rods 29 for actuating the carriage 23 and the push heads 30 may be operated by any suitable means, one means for operating 'the rods, as I have illustrated in the drawby means of short links 40, the latter allow-- ing the shift rods 29 to be moved rectilinearly while the ends of the levers 39 de scribe a. short are in their fore and aft stroke.

The piston may have communication with the steam chest of the loc'omotive or other boiler by means of a pipe 41 in which is located a valve 42 wherebythe piston 35 and the feed mechanism operated thereby may be controlled for rapid or slow movement depending upon the feed of the fuel that is desired.

A brief description of the operation of my invention is as follows; Fuel having been shoveled into the hoppers 34 is fed by gravity onto the carriages 23. Upon opening the valve 42 in the pipe 41 the piston is reciprocated whereby the shift rods are moved back and forth alternately raising and lowering the push rods 30 and recip rocatirngr the carriages 23, hereby a progressive feed is given the fuel inthe chutes '2. .\s the coal is fed forwardly it is deflected upwardly by the deflectors 9, 10, etc., into the ire box, upon the grate castings 5.

lt will be noted that the upper ends of the chutes, the upper surfaces of the cover plates and grate bars are substantially flush with cach other. This may not be essential, but it provides a better grade for the (irc box and is conducive of a better feed of the coal from the chutes upon the grate bars, as there are no ridges or the like to impede feeding or spreading of the coal in the fire box.

Various changes may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

What I claim is:

1. An automatic stoker comprising in combination with the fire box, a plurality of spaced coal chutes, grate castings spanning the spaces between the coal chutes, pushing means for pushing the coal forwardly of the coal chutes, perforated cover plates disposed o'ver the upper .ends of the coal chutes, and defieeting means for directing the coal upwardly in the chutes through the openings in the cover plates and onto the grate castings. 1

2. An automatic stoker comprising in combination with the fire box, a coal chute the upper end of thev chute being open and communicating with the lire box, a reticulated cover plate disposed over the open end of the chute, deflector plates carried by the cover plate, other deflector plates carried by the side walls of the chute, and means for feeding coal forwardly of the chute to be deflected upwardly into thefire box by th said defleetor plates.

3. An automatic stoker comprising in combination with the gfire box, a coal chute communicating with the fire box and prof vided with openings in one of its side walls, a swinging member mounted without the chute and carrying a plurality of defleeting plates, means for swinging said member to selectively project a portion of the deflector plates carried thereby. into the coal chute lat different points in the length thereof, and

means for feeding fuel lengthwise of the chute to be deflected upwardly by the deflector plates carried by the swinging member.

4. A Stoker comprising `in' combination with a fire box, a plurality of coal chutes provided with converging longitudinal walls, said walls enlarged to form beams eX- tending longitudinally of the fire box, grate bars supported by the l mgitu linal beams, perforated cover plates supported at the upper ends of the chutes, said perforated cover plates lying substantially flush with the grate bars, feeding means in the chutes for imparting a progressive movement to the coal in the chutes, delccting means for d1- recting the coal upwardly through the perforations in the cover plates out upon the grate bars, and a suitable operating means for the feeding means in the chutes.

5. In an automatic stoker, a coal chute having its upper end communicating with the fire box of a furnace, a perforated cover plate disposed over the upper end of the chute, depending dellector plates carried by the cover plate, .other deflecting means projecting from the side walls of the chute, and feeding means for imparting a progressive feed to the coal in the chute to be defiected upwardly bythe deflectors.

6. In an automatic Stoker, a coal chute open at its upper end and communicating with the fire box of a furnace, one of the walls of the chute being provided with spaced openings, a swinging arm mounted without the chute and provided with deflector plates for projection through said openings, additional defiecting means secured to the inner surfaces of the walls of the chute, a perforated cover plate disposed in the u'pper end of the chute, depending defiector plates carried by the cover plate, and means for imparting a progressive feed for coal in the chute to be deflected upwardly by the several deflecting means.

7. In a stoker, a coal chute, a reciprocating carriage disposed in the lower end ofthe chute, pusher heads swingingly mounted in the carriage and normally disposed in inoperative position, a shifting rod sup orted by the carriage and having a limite relative movement thereto, means for operatively connecting each pusher head with the shifting rod, and means for imparting move ment to the shifting rod for rst swinging the pusher heads and subsequently moving the carriage.

8. In a s toker, a coal chute provided with converging side walls whose lower ends are prolonged downwardly, suitable guides carried by the prolongations of the side walls,

'a sliding carriage mounted in the guides, pusher heads swingingly supported by the carriage, a shifting rod operatively connected with the pusher heads, bearings on the carriage vfor the shifting rod, spaced collars carried by the shifting rod on each side of said bearings to permit the shifting rod to have a limited rectilinear movement in the bearings and means for operating the shifting rod relative to the carriage to swing the pusher heads into operative position and for sliding the carriage upon the limit .of movement of the shift rod being reached.

9. In a Stoker, a coal chute provided with converging side walls whose lower ends are prolonged downwardly, suitable guides oarried by the prolongations of the side Walls, a sliding carriage mounted in the carriage, suitable bearings supported by the carriage, a shift rod slidably mounted in the bearings, stops on the shift rod on each side of the bearings for limiting the movement of the shift rod through the bearings in either direction, connecting means between the push heads and the shift rod, and means for operating the shift rod to alternately swing the pusher heads and reciprocate the carriage.

In testimony whereof I aii: my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PAUL M. THAYER.

Witnesses:

J. U. METZGER, LOUIS SHICK.

uides, pusher heads swingingly supported y theA 

